I like this process of training AU Dukat. I feel his frustration at not being able to shoot retorts at that woman!

Oh, you can bet he was frustrated! Very much so!

However...I would not have been as forgiving upon hearing of her pain. (I know--I'm cruel....)

Well...he's also in a period he's supposed to be devoting to spiritual contemplation as well as the survival skills he's studying. That's likely got him even more predisposed than normal to trying to put those virtues into practice. Reh'met is responsible for her decision to be short with Dukat. But, it's also not his place to put himself in the place of judge of her soul.

This is one of the lessons I feel it is very, very important to give AU Dukat in a very personal, up-front manner. One of the canon version's big problems was that he was so quick to judge others, AND so quick to make assumptions that whatever was going wrong was because others were simply failing to take HIM into account, to see what was so great about HIM, and to see what HE needed. I wanted AU Dukat to come face-to-face with that in himself and come to understand that he needs to break that within himself. And through this, he's forced to listen for this and whatever other lessons may be coming his way.

Now, that was a great moment at the end, where he breaks down in tears. My compliments.

I'm very glad you liked that part. I was worried it would seem sappy or cliched, and I'm glad to know it worked.